AI and Mental Health Conference 2026

October 5, 2026 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Michigan Union, Rogel Ballroom
530 S State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Register

Keynote Speakers

The Possibilities of AI in Addressing the Mental Health Crisis
Dr. Vaile Wright

Senior Director of Health Care Innovation, American Psychological Association

Guiding Psychology’s national response to AI, digital health, and the future of mental health care

Session 1 panelist

Millions of People Are Already Using AI for Their Mental Health. Is It Helping?
Dr. Caitlin Stamatis

Clinical Psychologist and Head of Research, Slingshot AI

The scientist behind the system: bridging clinical rigor with AI innovation for mental health

Session 2 panelist

The Hippocratic Gap in AI: Good Intentions, Broken Guardrails
Michael Tjalve

Founder of Humanitarian AI Advisory, Co-Founder of RootsAI Foundation

Shaping responsible AI from the tech sector to the frontlines of humanitarian action

Session 3 panelist

Panelists

Session 1

Moderator: Qiaozhu Mei, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, School of Information, University of Michigan

Lindsey Mortenson

Executive Director of University Health and Counseling and Chief Mental Health Officer, University of Michigan

Supporting student mental health through research, data and innovation

Penelope Tsernoglou

Michigan State House Representative, the 75th District

Putting people first with AI guardrails

Maxwell Howard headshot
Maxwell Howard

Reporter, Interlochen Public Radio

Navigating Tech, Trust, and Community Connection

Session 2

Moderator: Chandra Sripada, Theophile Raphael Research Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
Professor of Psychiatry, Medical School

Dan Adler

Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan

Developing responsible, human-centered AI to turn everyday data into better mental health care

Stephan Taylor

Daniel E Offutt III Professor of Psychiatry and Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan

Building clinical evidence on AI’s risks to young people

Session 3

Moderator: Aidan Wright, Phil F Jenkins Research Professor of Depression, Professor of Psychology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Debbie Dingell

Congresswoman representing Michigan’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives

Matthew Bierlein

Michigan State House Representative, the 97th District

Bringing legislative transparency and accountability to AI’s real-world harms

Christabel Randolph

Associate Director at the Center for AI and Digital Policy

Advancing the public interest through global strategy and national leadership in AI policy.

Headshot of Kayte
Kayte Spector-Bagdady

Wantz Professor of Bioethics; Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Director, Michigan Bioethics; University of Michigan Medical School